Visiting Hours
by serenphoria
Summary: Neji had visitors after the failed mission. Only he never knew. / Spoilers for Rescue Sasuke Arc /


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**Visiting Hours **

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Twenty minutes of hot adrenaline. Four hours of cold and fog. Six hours of dancing lights. One-hundred and sixty hours of dark fitful nothing.

Naruto visits, hobbling down the hall in crutches although his arms are sore and pressure of the wood digs at his palms painfully because he would not dignify using a wheelchair. He comes at night and stays strangely silent and serious. It's a state he'd only reveal when alone in the cover of darkness - and maybe only over Neji's dead body. Right now, that's a thought a little too close for comfort._ Jackass _he mutters to break the silence.

Shikamaru visits, more out of guilt than of concern. He stands mutely just inside the doorway, then leans against the wall, not feeling familiar enough to set up a shogi board to pass the time. He hadn't earned that right. He notes that Neji's knuckles are pale and that his fingers, twisted in the sheets, were his most expressive features. Shikamaru may not be a genius at reading body language, but he understood that those hands screamed _this hurts like hell_ in Neji's stead. His stay is brief as far as hospital visits go. Convincing himself that staying was troublesome rather than admit it was pointless, he leaves.

Hinata was there; twice. The first time she stopped by after visiting Kiba, who was lively and loud, and – in the comfortable role reversal they often played – offered her words of comfort when he was the one hurt. Kiba was everything Neji was not. But she stopped by anyway, as a formality she felt she owed her blood and as a chance to safely face a fear. She tried to offer her own words of comfort, her voice hesitant and unsure. Hinata knew without awareness that had Neji been awake, she would have buckled under his intensity and her voice cracked accordingly.

The second time she came was after much mental deliberation. Kiba had already gone home and she saw Naruto hide out at Ichiraku's that morning. So out of excuses, she steeled herself to enter the sterile room, bearing a candle scented of lavender and oak. It would be a little bit of home while he was away, she explained. Much later, Neji would wonder why he'd wake up irritable. But for now, Hinata left feeling a little better about herself despite still being ignored.

She was the only Hyuuga to visit.

Tenten came with daffodils. She thought white lilies would have been more suitable for Neji; pale, dignified, graceful. Then Ino, tending to the family shop, mentioned that white lilies symbolized death. Tenten wasn't superstitious, but then, she didn't want to tempt fate with its penchant for irony either. Daffodils were nice. She smiles and wishes him to get well soon, half jokingly confessing that she couldn't survive Lee and Gai on her own. She squeezes his hand and leaves the room.

Lee too. He's silent at first, his abnormally large eyes glimmering for reasons unrelated to Joy and Youthful Exuberance. Lee was a machine of action and here he could do nothing. He needed Neji as a rival to drive him to improve but more than that, he needed Neji to be a step ahead. Having a fallen idol somehow invalidated his very existence (not that his simple, one-track mind could comprehend that in so many words). His moment of melancholy was brief. Lee shook off the uneasy feeling and half-formed thoughts as indigestion and cheerily offered optimistic words. He spoke louder than necessary, just to make sure Neji heard him, and came back every day for a week - sometimes accompanied by Tenten, other times Sakura when he ran into her in the hospital halls - with similar messages of hope and optimism. Lee believed every word he said and for the first time, Neji did not refute Lee with a condescending retort.

Gai only came once, sparing what time he could between missions. He didn't trip over himself like he did for Lee. He stood calm and thoughtful for awhile and then spoke more succinctly then anyone would have thought possible: "You're my student and I know you're strong." Spoken just like a father would have. Then his teeth 'pinged' and he gave Neji his best Nice Guy pose. He couldn't help it. But then again, Gai never gave the Nice Guy pose without meaning it.

Neji had more visitors during his coma than he ever did for a birthday, or any occasion for that matter. But he never knew. Not for sure.

Even the Byakugan is useless when the eyes are closed.

-'-

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**Author's Note:** Inspired by Mucktron's _Voices._

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think.


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